Golf-club-grip guide



c. MccuLLouGH GOLF CLUB GRIP GUIDE -March 27, 1928.

Filed Aug. 8, 1927 Cra: BY f f ATTORNEY INVENTOR `Patented 2'47, 1928.

CRAIG MOGULLOUGH, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

GOLF-CLUB-GRIP. GUIDE.

Application led August 8, 1927.' Serial No. 211,368.

This invention relates to golf club grip guides and aims primarily to provide a golf club grip guide preferably fabricated in the shape of a resilient sleeve having the impression of the hands and fingers formed in its peripheral surface, whereby the player must grip or hold the correlated golf club thereof in the correct or approved manner, and which is especially designed for rapid and ready attachment to or .detachment from any type ofl Wooden or metallicV rolf club shaft, and when attached to the selected golf club shaft is positively secured and locked against axial movement thereon or accidental dislected circumferentially adjusted position thereon., all of Whichare important features andobjectsof the invention and are to be correlated in the broad aim of enhancingv the eficiency of the device for general use.

The above, and additionalobjects which will hereinafter be more specifically treated are attained by such means as are shown in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more clearly pointed out in the claims, which are appended hereto and form plication.l

-lVith reference to the drawings, in which there is illustrated one embodiment of the invention, and throughout the several views of Whichlike characters of reference designate'similar parts:

Figures 1^, 2 and 3 are rear, side and front elevations, respectively, of -a golf club grip guide comprehended Aby the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same taken through 4-4 of Fig. 2.-

Figs. 5 and 6 are views illustrating the approved manner of attaching theV grip guide to its correlated golf club.

part ofA this :1p--

Fig. 7 is an end .elevation of the club, and

Figs. 8 and 9 are horizontal transverse sections taken through 8--8 and 9- 9, respectively, of Fig. 4.

Beginning the more detailed description of the invention by reference to the draw- .ings,the. numeral 10 designates a golf club shaft having a slightly tapered sleeve 11 of resilient material, such as rubber or the like mounted thereon. Longitudinally embedded Within the material of the sleeve 1-1 isa series of reinforcing cords or strands l2 of inelastic material, which serve and function to positively prevent longitudinal distention or stretching of the sleeve, when the same is subjected to tensile strain, but, which readily permits of circumferential distention of such sleeve, as will be manifest and apparent by referring to Figs. '8 4and 9. Impressed or molded' in the peripheral or exterior surface of the sleeve 11 adjacent its outer end is a series of circumferentially disposed finger locating and sustaining seats 13 for the left hand of the player, a longitudinally disposed thumb locating and sustaining seat 14 for the left thumb slightly in advance of and substantially at right angles to said series, a circumferentially disposed thumb locating and sustaining seat 15 for the right thumb slightly in advance of and substantially at right angles to the seat 14, and circumferentially disposed finger locating and sustaining seats I16 for-the fore and middle lingers of the right hand disposed rearwardly of and in substantial longitudinal alignment with the seat 15. As

4hereinbefore described the sleeve 1lV is cirmunferentially distendable, which permits of.

it being readily spruiw over the handheld portion of the club sha 't 10 and when operatively positioned' thereon said sleeve duev to its resilient characteristics snugly `fitsl upon and frictionally engages the correlated shaft thereof in such a manner that considerable force must be exerted to move the same axially oreir'cumferentially upon the shaft. However, actual experience has demonstrated the advsability and desirability of positively locking or clamping the sleeve to the shaft and for this purpose the inner terminal portion 17 ofthe sleeve is exteriorly reduced and a slightly tapered locking ferrule or nipple 18 clamped thereon, which latter compresses the relatively thin resilevident and obvious by referring to Fig. 4.

The outer terminal portion 19 of the sleeve 11 is also` exteriorly reduced for the reception ofA a cap 20, which latter is iXedly 'secured to the end of theclub shaft bya 10 screw 21, as 'shownmre clearly in Fig. 4;

The ip guide of theinvention is applied to or" tted upon a metallic club shaft by first lremovin the leather grip and tape and l., cleaning the andhold portion of the shaft 15 with sandpaper and gasoline.

The small end of the ferrule 18 is then slipped-over the upper end .of the club shaft and. allowed to drop tothe club head. The handhold portion of the shaft is then dusted with talcum .20 powder or soapstoneand a little of the lat# te is poured into the grip guide and the sa shaken well, so ,that such grip guide lwill more easily and readily be slipped upon the shaft.v The grip guide 1s then circumferl entially distended and sprung over the end of theshaft .10 and is forced downwardly thereon in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4, to a point substantially midway the length of the shaft, whereat, the grip guide is free- 1 rotatable thereon, so that its 'finger and At umb locat' andsustaining seats, may be circumferentia y adjusted relative to the golf club head. The ferrule 18 is then elevated and fitted upon the terminal portion A 17. Several trial settings of the grip guide vupon'the shaft are made before a final setting, this is accomplished by Apulling the grip guide back upon the shaft 10 to frictionally enga e the same therewith. In this connection 1t' will be readily-a parent. that the furl wher-.back the e is- "ulled' upon the shaft the more positive will the clamping action offt-hef'ferrule 18 upon the shaft, as

such ferrule functions'l and acts as a rubber lock. Inthe trialsettings if the grip guide properly tte'd :upon theshaft 10,- such grip guide should readily move back until its outer or larger end is approximately one- .half inch beyond the end ofthe shaft with 'the' ferrule infcla'mping tposition thereon, at .which time thegrip gui e is ready for final 1 setting.- The inal'setting of `the grip guide Y. accomplished by first pushing the same tovvgethe'rwth its ferrule downthe shaft. to the club head, then s irally wrapping the handhold portion of t e club. shaft withordinary electricianstape, as shown at A in Figi-A6,

f around the s aft at sai starting 4from a point approximately rune inches from the upper end of the'- shaft, one complete wra of such ta e beingirst made point before bei ginning the spiral wrapping of the Vsame toi 'wards the upper end of said sha-ft, one comflefewrap O f the tape as described positivey, prevents creeping' of the same when the Vgrip guide is pulled thereover. However, care should be taken not to have the tape wrapping too long, as the end of the latter would come under the ferrule and would prevent t-he grip guide from being pulled into its proper position. The tape wrapping is then moistened with gasoline and the grip guide pulled thereover into the proper circumferentially adjusted position, whereat such -grip guide frictionally engages and substantially adheres .to said tape wrapping. The cap 20 is then positioned upon the outer terminal of the grip guide and fixedly se,- cured to the shaft 10 in an obvious manner. To reset, or circumferentially adjust, the grip guide upon its correlated golf club to correctfor hooking or slicing or to remove the same therefrom, such grip guide is 'placed in boili water for approximately ten minutes to so ten the wrapping tape and loosen the grip guide therefrom, whereupon the grip guide is-forced down the shaft and turned right or left to make the desired correction and is reset 'in the manner above described. If the grip guide i's to be removed from the shaft, it is necessar to first unwind the tape wrapping there rom, following whichthe grip guide can be moreeasily and quickly. pulled off. On steel shafted iron clubs and putters, the length of the ta e wrapping is preferably increased, so that the end of the same will come under the ferrule, thus securing a ti hter fit for the latter.

When the grip gui es are applied and fitted tonwooden golf club shafts, it has been found necessary and advisable to plane down the .handheld ortions of the same to the desired size. Furt 1er, when applying the tape wrapping to wooden shafts, such wrappingis ut on' in the reverse order to that of meta lic 'shafts. Again in wooden shafts the ferrule may be dispensed with and asia substitute therefor the inner terminal portions of the grip 'guides wrapped with ordinary cord.

Actual experiencehas shown and demon= strated that` the grip guides of the present invention are -of great assistance to those learning .the gamefas the configurationPof :the sleeve 11. is such 'as to necessitate the player holdin the golf club correctly, which 11s a matter o sV cial importance in acquiring the art of riving. Further, the presv ent grip-guide is so constructed as to allow a player oomplete'freedomto swing the golf f -club around to the extremeposition beliind, as in driving. The configuration of the sleeve 11 may be arranged for either a one finger overlap,- or a two finger overl: as desired.` A variety of materials may. used for making the sleeves 11, Ybut I have found that a good grade of rubber molded to sharia' and .vulcanized gives very good results..

issutlicient-ly firm tto give a goodl control of the club, and yet suiciently yielding to allow a comfortable and easy grasp.

In the grip guide herein shown and described, which is of an average form, suitable for general use by right-handed players,

the lformation of the finger and thumb loeating and sustaining seats is such as to positively guideand direct the fingers and thumbs into the proper orrori-ect playing position, separates the fingers to prevent chafing therebetween, and materially adds to the security of the hold upon the club.

On a commercial scale it is, of course, impracticable to fabricate the sleevesll to suit individual players, and for this reason, such sleeves are designed and constructedto suit average requirements, so that` they may be produced cheaply in large quantities. However, in some instances sleeves having,` the impressionsl of an'individual players .hands `may be and are provided when especially desired and required. v

Manifestly, therefore, the grip guideof the invention is simple, durable and econom-` ical in construction, is rapidly and readily attached and positioned upon'or detached from its correlated club shaft and when attached thereto is positively locked'thereon against accidental axial dislodgment therefrom, is fabricated in a novel manner so that vvvhen in use Will materially increase the effectiveness of the stroke or swing of the x it cannot be stretched, ordistended longitudinally when subjected to tensile strain, and

player.

While I have herein shown and described my invention with sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to understand the mode of construction andprinciples yinvolved, it is to be understood that there is no intentional'limitation herein to the specific form and precise details of construction herein shown and described, except, as expressly defined b the appended claims, and

that various mo ifications of said constructionniay be resorted to without departing from the invention, or the benefits derivable therefrom. I also 'desire to have it understood that certain features of the invention herein disclosed may be employed in other combinations than those herein shown.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new yand desire to secure by' Letters Patent is A 1- A grip guide for agolf club comprising a circumferentially distendable sleeve of re-` silient material and means to prevent longitudinal distention of such sleeve.

2. `A grip guide for a golf club comprising a circuinferentially distendable sleeve of resilient material and means embedded in said material .for preventing longitudinal' distention of such sleeve.

3. A grip guide for a golfclub comprisingy a circumferentially distendable sleeve of resilient material and inelastic means longitu- .latter to the shaft.

dinally embedded in said material for preventing' distentioii `of said sleeve in an axial direction.

Il. A grip guide for a golf club comprising a circuniierentially distendable sleeve of resilient material and strands of inelastic inaterial longitudinally embedded in the walls of said sleeve for preventing distention ofV the same in an axial direction.

5. A grip guide for a golf club comprising a circuinferentially distendable tapered sleeve-oit resilient material, and a series of longitudinally disposed strands of inelastic material embedded Within the interior Walls of said sleeve foi preventing disteiition of the same in an axial direction.

A grip guide for a golf club comprising a ciicuinfeientially distendable sleeve of resilient material having an impression of the hands formed -therein, and inelastic means embedded in said sleeve for preventing longitudinal distention of the same. y

7. A grip guide for a golf club comprising a circuinf-erentially distendable sleeve of resilient 'material having finger and thumb locating seats formed therein, and strands of inelastic material longitudinally embed ded in the Walls of said sleeve for distention of the same in an aXia 8. In combination with a golf club, of a sleeve of resilient material exteriorly fashioned to guide' the fingers and thumbs of the preventing player into the correct playing position, and Aa detachable elongated tapered ferrule frictionally engageable throughout its length with said sleevefor positively clamping the 9. In combination with a golf club, of a sleeve of resilient material exteriorly fashdirection.

ionedto guide the fingers and thumbs of the thereon, and a detachable elongated tapered ferrule frictionally engageable throughout its length with said portion for positively locking the sleeve to the shaft.

11. In vcombination' with the liandliold vportion of a golf club shaft, of asleeve of resilient material exteriorly fashioned to conform to the hands of the player, a detachable elongated taperedferrule friction allyengageable throughout its len th with lll) the inner terminal portion of said s eeve for positively locking the same to the shaft, and sleeve, omi e ietziehebie elongated' tapered a cap xediy secured to said shaft',` 'and enferrule rictionally engageobief throughout T.o closing the outerV end. of -said. sleeve.V its length with the inner terminal portion of 12. In combination with a, golf club, of a the sleeve for positively locking the hitter 5 eir'eumferentiailydistendable sleeve of reto lthe club.

-silient material exteriorly fashioned to con- In testimony whereof I ax my signature. form to the hands of the player, means to preventl longitudinal distention osaid CRAIG MCCULLOUGH. 

